Deep Space Nine Season Finale Nearly Ruined The Show

The Deep Space Nine season 1 finale, “In the Hands of the Prophets,” unintentionally made Star Trek history by breaking with the Next Generation tradition of cliffhanger endings. This allowed the spinoff to carve out its own identity. However, an early idea for this episode could have ruined the finale by directly tying it to the adventures of the Enterprise-D. The DS9 producers toyed with the idea of making it a TNG crossover, where Picard, Sisko, and their crews would have teamed up to face a Cardassian invasion.

The Deep Space Nine Finale Nearly Became a TNG Crossover

On paper, it would have linked the first Deep Space Nine finale to “Emissary,” the premiere episode, which featured an unforgettable appearance by Captain Picard. However, Rick Berman scrapped the crossover plan, forcing Michael Piller to come up with a different approach. “In the Hands of the Prophets” shares the religious themes of “Emissary” but avoids the pitfalls of Berman’s early vision for an ambitious TNG crossover.

To understand why the original plans for the Deep Space Nine finale would have been disastrous, look closer at the rest of season 1. In addition to Picard’s cameo in “Emissary” and the recurring presence of Miles and Keiko O’Brien, the season saw the return of TNG characters like Lursa, B’etor, Q, Vash, and Lwaxana Troi.

Other TNG characters, most notably Worf and Klingon leader Gowron, would appear later in the series. While these characters added depth to Deep Space Nine, they also illustrate why a TNG crossover in the first finale would have been a mistake. Such an episode would have cemented DS9 as living in TNG’s shadow, forcing producers to rely on familiar characters and plots to drive interest.

Hardcore TNG fans might not have minded a crossover finale, especially if it meant more screen time for Captain Picard and the Enterprise crew. However, the originality of DS9 is its greatest strength. To this day, it remains one of the best Star Trek shows because it dared to be different. If the first finale had shifted focus from Sisko to Picard, DS9 might have become just another failed spinoff, unable to establish its own identity.

Star Trek: The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine are both great shows, but they have completely different tones, characterizations, and storytelling styles. By ensuring “In the Hands of the Prophets” wasn’t a TNG crossover, Rick Berman gave DS9 the chance to develop its own style and voice. Soon, the world learned what Sisko meant when he stood up to Q: he is not Picard, and his show would blaze a unique trail in the Star Trek universe.